The Reluctant Servant
by Nelson Bannaba
Summary: There is nothing more vicious than a power struggle between the powerless. Jaken, Izayoi, oneshot


_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of the Inuyasha series._

_AN: This is a one-shot featuring Jaken and Izayoi, but it is not a romantic pairing unless you count Jaken's fetish for Izayoi's ears. It was written for Alterfano in the LJ community, IYflashfic. It could be considered an AR, but I'd like to think this scenario is possible. Special thanks to Ouatic7 for her editing skills an Qemchibati for her helpful suggestions._

oOo

Jaken squinted up at the tall inuyoukai lord. The morning sun filtering over his shoulder created a halo of blinding silver around his head. He was impressive, well over the height of your average biped and Jaken found his whole demeanor quite intimidating.

"Jaken, right?" The lord's voice seemed to boom from above. Jaken nodded blindly.

"You will assist me," he paused here, as if daring Jaken to protest, before he continued. "Please escort Izayoi to a room suitable for her station."

"Right away, lord," he nodded respectfully. He relaxed a little, realizing he was not about to be smashed to bits by the god-like overlord.

"After all, you can't always share _my_ bed, Izayoi," the lord addressed the silent woman at his side in a softer tone. He gave her a playful slap on the behind. She yelped and stumbled forward.

Jaken looked her way for the first time. She was a great deal shorter than her silver-haired companion, an ordinary human woman with plain black hair and pale, frightened face. Jaken wondered what the robust lord possibly saw in her, but it was not his place to question such things. She was dressed in dusty traveling clothes and needed a bath. Jaken sighed mentally as he guessed _that_ would fall to him as well.

"And she might be hungry. Humans must eat occasionally I am told." The great lord paused again and Jaken wondered how much more a lowly human could possibly require. The great lord knitted his brows appealingly and asked, "The castle grounds do possess 'food-preparation facilities', correct?"

"Yes, of course, sire," Jaken answered solemnly.

Once the lord had taken his leave and was _well_ out of earshot, Jaken's eyes narrowed and he snapped his beak shut. "Lowering our standards, are we?" he hissed just loudly enough for the woman to hear. "What's next, frolicking with the livestock?"

When he had offered his services to the great lord's dashing son, he hadn't realized he would be forced to serve _humans._ Mucking the stables was sad enough work for an imp of his station. On top of that, he was often called upon to handle the more mind-numbing of the household affairs. Myouga the flea was the proper 'manager' as the head servant to the Inutaisho, but quickly tossed many of these responsibilities in Jaken's lap. The flea certainly knew how to pull rank. But being forced to served humans, now that was downright demeaning. He glared menacingly over his shoulder at the human woman, but she did not appear to take notice.

Jaken had complained in great detail about being called upon to perform duties unrelated to his role as Sesshoumaru-sama's retainer. It might interfere with the execution of some vital task or another, he reasoned. His master never seemed to hear him. It was frustrating. But he had pledged his loyalty and the scenery wasn't bad. Sesshoumaru-sama and his frighteningly powerful father were both silver-haired beauties, if you could appreciate the male humanoid form, which Jaken could. He had hoped that Sesshoumaru-sama might even ask him to 'assist' in duties of a more personal matter, such as bathing, but the young lord showed little interest in such things.

"_Relax, my lord," Jaken leaned towards his lord and patted his sleeve. "Why don't you take a nice, long bath and I will gladly assist you." Sesshoumaru-sama gave him a warning look. Jaken would later learn to recognize that look, even anticipating it before it appeared and running away in sheer terror. But not now. Now, he prattled on obliviously, "I have drawn a bath for you if you could just follow me to the bating facilities." Sesshoumaru did not follow, so Jaken continued in a wheedling tone, " I could wash your back, give you a foot massage, put your….wait, what are you doing with that rock, Sesshoumaru-sama, please no, arrrg!"_

Jaken glanced back over his shoulder again at his current charge. Her expression was as blank as before, but she followed along willingly enough. Several times, he asked her how long she would be staying and if she was indeed hungry, but she did not respond. It was irritating. Not only was he forced to assist her, but she was bent on ignoring him. He hated being ignored and her snub was exacerbated by the fact that she was so obviously below his station. You couldn't get much lower than being human _and_ a woman.

He slid open a screen to reveal a bedroom resplendent with intricate carvings with the reoccurring theme of puppies at play. Jaken raised his hand, intent on ushering the woman in and being done with her for the night, when a sudden thought occurred to him. With a gleam in his eye, he slid the screen shut again," Let's see…I don't know much about humans, but don't you enjoy rolling in the mud and eating rotten fruit? I should have taken you directly to the stables, shouldn't I?"

There was a strangled sound and Jaken turned to see a brief flash of anger in the woman's eyes. His beak gaped cheerfully. "Wait a minute, I was thinking of pigs, but then the resemblance is striking is it not?" He placed his hands on his hips and leaned forward, "So where do humans like to sleep? In trees perhaps?"

The woman raised her chin, casting her eyes at Jaken in what he supposed was meant to be a chilling look. "This room will do nicely, thank you." She pulled back the screen with a snap and swept into the room.

"Hold, woman, that's MY room," Jaken couldn't resist one more joke at her expense.

The woman backed out of the room. "Oh!" Her demeanor was chagrined, until she spotted Jaken's smirk.

"How dare you?" she hissed before she stamped back into the room. He snickered as she slammed the screen shut in his face. He knew well his place, just as she would learn hers.

oOo

Jaken was quite happy that the human did not bother him again that day. She didn't even venture out of her room. Whatever she was doing in there, she was doing it very quietly. The next morning, things were quiet still and Jaken had the gut-wrenching realization that something might be wrong and it would fall on _his_ head.

Quickly, he made ready the bathing facilities so that he would not seem lax in his duties. Afterwards, he crept up the corridor and laid his head against the door. Nothing. He tapped his clawed finger against the wood and called out, "Are you well?" Still nothing. He briefly toyed with the idea of entering unbidden, when he remembered her curt responses to their short conversation of the day before. "Oh human," he trilled, "aren't you hungry." There was still no response, but he could have sworn he heard a muffled gurgling.

Time to take it up a notch.

"First, it's time for your bath. You're stinking up the place."

He was relieved to hear a thump and the sound of footsteps padding towards the door. Jaken allowed himself a sigh of relief. "Come out, you filthy woman, before your stench permeates the bedclothes." He hadn't had this much fun since he watched Myouga cowering in fear after feeding off of Sesshoumaru-sama by mistake.

He heard a rustling behind the screen and an angry voice shrilled through the doorway. "And I could smell you coming down the hall, you horrid little toad."

"Yes, my soap certain does smell nice, doesn't it," Jaken quickly parried. He would make her pay for the 'toad' reference. "We've established the fact that you are not a pig, so I didn't expect you to enjoy wallowing in your own filth though I could be wrong." He heard her gasp but she made no further attempts to trade insults.

Now that Jaken was certain she was alive and well, he had a duty to perform. A change of tactics was in order. He waited a few moments before continuing.

"Forgive my earlier brashness. I have not treated you fairly, M'lady. Please allow me to accompany you to the bathing chambers," Jaken told her in polite tones. There was a long pause and Jaken began to think the girl responded only to insults. But finally, she slid the screen open and stepped out into the hall. She stared blankly ahead as she followed him through the maze-like halls of the castle until they reached the baths. Jaken noted with a vague curiosity that she had the same dull light in her eyes as the day before. She carried herself stiffly, but other than this, her motions seemed lifeless, automatic. There was an air of sickness about her and Jaken could not pinpoint exactly why.

_What an unappealing human this is._ Jaken wondered again what it was that the lord saw in this sad, little human. She seemed disconnected, so…removed from the world around her. Or perhaps it was simply dimwittedness, Jaken mused. He couldn't decide.

Jaken was slightly surprised when she stepped inside and turned her back to him as if she were used to being assisted. He pulled up a stool and proceeded to remove her garments, careful not to glance downwards as he lifted the clothing from her shoulders. He was not familiar with the human female form and was a little fearful of what he might find under there, perhaps pale, scaly skin, or worse, a covering of bristly hair?

When he was not called upon to assist in her bath, Jaken stood sentry near the door. The bathing room was silent except for the occasional splash of water. At one point, it became so quiet that Jaken was forced to sneak a peek to assure himself that the she had not drowned. There was a definite feeling of despondency about the woman, he decided. Her eyes held no warmth and her mouth resembled a thin line. Jaken almost pitied her though he was not even sure why he should do so. It was her silence that bothered him the most. He never could abide silence, it unnerved him. Anything, inane chatter, mindless prattle, anything was preferable to silence. It was often so quiet around the castle that the he had fallen into the habit of talking to himself. After all, his new master was not much of a conversationalist, the flea was rarely home, and so Jaken was quite often left to his own devices.

He decided that it was time he satisfied his curiosity. How had such a lowly creature attracted the attentions of a god-like overlord such as the Inutaisho? She was obviously a concubine of sorts, but why bring her here, a human of all things, and house her in the guest quarters. It was not commonly done. None of his business, true, but it was as good an excuse as any to break the oppressive silence. Holding his tongue was simply not in Jaken's nature, no matter how many beatings he would suffer through the years.

He cast his eyes slyly towards the object of his curiosity and cleared his throat. The sound echoed in the nearly empty room and he was pleased to see that she startled at the sound. Emboldened, he asked her bluntly, "I should like to know your name, woman."

She did not answer. "Your name, if you please," Jaken tried again, speaking softly this time. There was still no answer.

Was the human woman so savage as to not realize how to show respect to her youkai betters, he wondered.

A smile curled at the edges of his beaked mouth. He would simply explain to her just who she was dealing with. "You may address me as Jaken-sama, or 'sama' for short if you wish," he told her next.

He was sure that this statement would garner a response, but it didn't. He stamped his foot in frustration. "Irritating woman," he muttered, "I can think of a few names I'd like to call you." Jaken was about to ask her if she had water in her ears, when she whirled towards him, sprinkling water all about the room. Jaken's beak snapped shut as she leveled a glare.

"You will not address in such common terms, toad. I am a noblewoman and should be treated as such."

Jaken could hardly believe his ears. "Poppy-cock! What noblewoman, even a human noblewoman, would stoop to becoming a concubine? I may be small but I'm not stupid." Jaken's voice was shrill with indignation now. He failed to notice the high color on the woman's cheeks and her murderous expression. "And I'm not a toad. Stop calling me that, brazen harlot," he snapped out and turned away.

He heard the human thrashing about angrily in her bath. _A noblewoman,_ he chuckled to himself. Perhaps the little human was dimwitted after all.

His good humor disintegrated as he felt two strong hands grip his shoulders from behind. "M'lord," Jaken rasped out, already shaking in terror, "I didn't hear you come in. I'm s-so sorry. I didn't mean to s-say…"

"Not M'lord," a female voice hissed in his ear, "you may address me as Izayoi-hime."

"W-what?" Jaken sputtered as he was hauled backwards. Any protest he might have made was lost in a mouthful of warm bathwater. Jaken thrashed around in panic as his head was held under the water.

"And I am no one's concubine," her angry words were muffled by the water. "Take YOUR bath, stinking toad."

Jaken sputtered as his head was forced once again under the water. _I'm going to die,_ he wailed into the water just as the pressure against his head vanished and Jaken resurfaced with a mighty splash. He hopped out, feeling a little disoriented. "Izayoi-hime," Jaken's voice was shaky as he glanced fearfully around the room. It was empty.

"That, that _human woman _tried to drown me," he told no one in particular, staring in amazement at the trail of water leading through the now open doorway.

oOo

Jaken kept to himself for the rest of the day, though he looked over his shoulder half-fearfully every so often. Apparently, his mother had been correct. It was a dangerous world out there, replete with handsome megalomaniacs and violent human women. He should have stayed in the swamp.

He was puttering about the kitchen that evening, preparing his meal-for-one and muttering to himself, when he heard the sound the sound of footsteps. Jaken prepared himself for serious groveling, since he had never known his Sesshoumaru-sama or the Inutaisho to venture into this wing of the castle. "M'lord," he chimed with forced cheerfulness.

"M'lady," a stern voice corrected him as Izayoi nearly walked over the slack-jawed imp. Jaken scrambled back with a yelping cry.

"You, you…watch where you're going, human" Jaken spluttered as he waved his fists in the air.

There was a whoosh of silk and her face was suddenly very close to his. Her dark eyes were sparking dangerously and her delicate mouth was curled in something akin to a snarl. "You will address me by my proper title, toad," she hissed.

Jaken gulped in fear but held his ground. "As you well know _my_ proper title, Izayoi," his voice was strained and so he stamped his foot to provide the emphasis lacking there. He was not raised to be subservient to a mere human woman. He was determined that he would concede no more than this.

He flinched as her eyes narrowed dangerously. What would it take to soothe this savage being, he wondered? How did they establish dominance in their primitive society? He suspected that it must involve some brute show of force; humans were such barbarians, after all.

Jaken looked down at his hands, wondering how he'd fare in an arm-wrestling contest against Izayoi. She had a size advantage, but it did give him an idea. He lifted his right hand to her knee and _shoved._

She swayed in front of him, eyes wide with shock, and fell backwards onto her rear. Jaken snickered. The sound caught in his throat as he was launched backwards a few feet. Izayoi stepped forward with her white, even teeth flashing in a feral-looking grimace. She launched a swift kick in his direction. "How dare you lay a hand on me, you abomination!"

"Ooomf," Jaken grunted as her toe contacted his abdomen. He instinctively gripped her ankle, riding her foot a half-foot into the air. Izayoi shook her leg and Jaken only wailed and clamped his arms more tightly around her leg. "Off, off me You," she cried shrilly, attempting to remain balanced and kick at him with her other foot.

Driven by a mix of fear and anger, and plus now in danger of being shaken to death, Jaken did the only thing left for him, he bit down hard. _Kami, how I despise humans,_ was his only thought.

"Aaah, it bit me," Izayoi screeched, "let go you vile creature or I'll…I'll scream." She let out a series of ear-splitting howls. Jaken released his grip and she hopped about wildly on one foot

Instead of slumping to the floor, he found himself wrenched backwards by the collar until he was dangling high in the air.

"What in Kami's name is going on here," a male voice boomed in his ear.

All went still and quiet. Jaken didn't dare to look up into the yellow eyes of his captor. He hung limply in his grip for a few seconds, the only sound was the pop and hiss of the stew cooking in the pot.

"You!" the Inutaisho's voice boomed into his ear once again and Jaken gurgled in fear. "You will answer me imp."

He gave Jaken a rough shake and Jaken began in a shaking voice, "This hu...Izayoi-hime and I were just, just," Jaken simply could not form the deadly words, fighting, with his mouth.

The grip on his collar tightened and he felt his airway constricted. "Aaaacck," he rasped. His hand grappled ineffectually at the front of his collar as he became desperate. The world around him seemed to be fading before his eyes. The end was near.

"Jaken-sama was helping me to kill a mouse," Izayoi's clear tones rang out through the kitchen and the lord and he loosened his grip.

"A rat," the great lord seemed confused, "and who is this Jaken-sama?"

"Er, it's me sir," Jaken told him in a hoarse whisper, "I mean, erm, my name is Jaken, sire." He thought it wise to stop here.

"Jaken-_sama,_" the Inutaisho chuckled under his breath. He set the imp down surprisingly gently and patted him on the head. Jaken dared not look up, but he did spare a glace at Izayoi. She was glaring at him. "Jaken-sama has been most helpful."

The master burst out into laughter at this comment, "Yes, yes, well he'd better be." His laughter ended as abruptly as it began. "Accompany me to my quarters, Izayoi. You will stay with me tonight. Tomorrow, Sesshoumaru and I will be off on business." He offered her his arm.

Izayoi's fierce expression wilted into the blank expression she had worn when Jaken had first met her. Her shoulders remained stiff and she took his arm. Despite their difference in height, she matched his long strides with practiced grace.

Jaken lay crumpled on the floor for a good half hour before he rose to check the stew. The flame was too high and it had boiled down to a gelatinous paste. He ate it the stuff anyway, not daring to grumble. These were dangerous times.

oOo

The next morning, Jaken was up and running when the sky was still a dull grey. He was careful to get everything right this morning, as he was still nervous from the events of the previous evening. The pink was fading from the horizon as he watched Sesshoumaru-sama and his father disappear over the rise. He wiped a tear the corner of his eye and took a few steadying breaths before he hurried back towards the kitchen. Goodbyes were always difficult.

It was still quite early when he tapped at Izayoi's screen, laden with a tray of various types of tea, fruits, nuts, and grubs. _What did humans eat anyway?_

Jaken was a little surprised when there was no answer, but he quickly remembered that she may still be sleeping in the room of the great lord and started back down the hall.

"Enter," the simple command sent him skittering back down the hall and into the room.

She was kneeling on the floor, her head bowed slightly. Her long hair fell unbound across her back and face in a fine curtain and he wondered why he would ever have thought it plain.

"Izayoi-hime," the title felt strange on his tongue, but then she had saved him from sure death. She glanced his way briefly. Her eyes held that dull, blank look again. Her face appeared ghostly pale even in the warm morning sun and her eyes sunken.

"I have brought food," he moved forward and laid the plate before her. "You are probably hungry…" he trailed off as she leveled another dull-eyed stare his way. "Thank you," she answered flatly and reached a shaking hand towards a piece of fruit, "you may leave now."

He turned to leave but she stopped him, "Take this with you," she held out the plate of squirming grubs.

This time he darted out to the room, eager to escape this human princess and her strange moods. She acted…almost as if she weren't honored to be a guest in the home of the Inutaisho. He quickly dismissed the thought as highly unlikely.

oOo

Jaken did not see Izayoi until that evening. She was already in the kitchen when he entered to prepare his nightly meal, but she looked a little lost.

"Can I help you," he queried politely.

He was not surprised this time when she ignored him. She looked around her and finally picked up a teacup off of the shelf.

Remembering he never thanked her for her timely intervention the night before, Jaken cleared his throat to speak. "I wanted to thank you, Hime-sama, for the other night. You saved me from a certain death at the hands of the great and mighty Inutaisho…"

"What's so great about him," Izayoi interrupted. She slammed down the tea glass she had picked up. "And where's the blasted tea?"

Jaken was startled. "Why the tea, well, it's here," he answered gesturing toward a rather humble-looking pottery jar with a crack down the side.

Izayoi tapped her foot. "Well toad, hurry and prepare it for me."

Jaken stared at her, gap-mouthed, and said the first thing that came to mind, "I'm not a toad, my name is…"

"Jaken-sama," she purred the words, "oh yes, I remember well that conversation."

"Then you understand my position as…"

"I understand your position very well," she snapped.

"Stop interrupting me, after all you nothing but a lowly human."

Izayoi's eyes went wide at the comment and her chest began heaving slightly. Jaken stepped back a few paces. She squeezed her eyes shut. "You infuriating beast," Izayoi spat out.

"Likewise," Jaken huffed.

Izayoi gritted her teeth and continued in a calmer voice, "I will not be talked down to by the likes of you. I realize you youkai are savages and can't be expected to have manners, but…"

"Manners!" Jaken bristled, it was his turn to interrupt, "savages…what, you!" His speech spiraled into gibberish as he began to hop up and down excitedly. "Aiiiyeee," he howled in frustration.

Izayoi advanced on him and he was soon trapped between her body and the wall. Jaken stopped his antics and cowered. "Don't…," he whimpered, "please don't kick me again."

The anticipated kick never came. "You're such a funny little man," she said simply.

Jaken glanced up to find her smiling down at him. He sagged in relief.

"I'm an imp, actually," he corrected in a soft voice.

She offered him her hand. "Stand up Jaken-sama," her tone was commanding, "and prepare a bowl of rice for this lowly human and concubine." She giggled at her own joke. When Jaken simply crouched there, slack-jawed, she stamped her foot. "Hurry up!"

Jaken popped up and hurried over to the food storage. "Right away, Hime-sama," he muttered, giving her a bewildered look over his shoulder.

oOo

The two carried on like that for some time. Izayoi thought Jaken to be perverse and stubborn. Jaken claimed Izayoi was pushy and resorted to intimidating tactics much too often.

A few things changed, however. Izayoi no longer sat silently in her room and in her eyes became bright again. Jaken found himself looking forward to their encounters.

A few things didn't change. Each morning, Jaken was sure to challenge the princess by refusing to address her respectfully. Once he even insisted that she clean the dishes. Humans should know their place, after all. If things were as they should be, she would be serving him, after all. By mid-afternoon, nevertheless, Jaken was almost always cowed. Physical intimidation worked best, Izayoi soon learned.

And they began to have conversations. 

"Tell me of the son, is he as wicked as rumor has it?"

"Wicked! No, Sessoumaru-sama is the most noble, dashing and fearful youkai one could hope for, excepting his father of course."

"They say he murdered seven samurai when he was still quite young simply because they refused to show respect."

"Possible, I suppose. Human's are known for being ill-mannered."

"I'm a human. Would you have me slaughtered simply because I refused to speak respectfully to him?"

Jaken raised a clawed finger to his lips. "An intriguing question..."

"That was supposed to be rhetorical question, Toad."

"I realize that. I do have a sense of humor and it's Jaken-sama!"

Or,  
_  
"Will you do that thing where you hop up and down again and wave your arms. I need entertainment in this empty, lifeless place." _

"You take pleasure in my distress? What an awful human you are!"

"But you are such a funny little man. Stamp your foot for me at least."

"I will do not such thing and do not forget I am an imp!" He stamped his foot.

Izayoi giggled and patted his head.

But their conversations did not always go well.

"There is an air of loneliness about this house."

"It must be difficult being the only female here," Jaken said, though he was not really interested.

"Not really. I never had any sisters and my mother died when I was very young. My father was always off fighting. Truly, I should be used to being left alone."

Jaken didn't bother pointing out that she was not alone if he was here.

"Where are all the people, the servants? Where are the others who should reside in this dreary place?"

Izayoi swept her hand across a dusty wood-carving of a severed dragon's head. The noonday sun which poured through the window slits revealed a myriad of dust-particles floating in the air. Her eyes followed the tiny particles as they settled again onto the floor.

Jaken sneezed.

"They have all followed the Lady of the Western Lands, or so I am told," Jaken explained. "The Inutaisho is not in the habit of spending much time here. From what I understand he built this castle for his wife, who was a youkai noblewoman. The original structure was a hovel that the Inutaisho was reputed to have been born in. He left the hovel standing over there, he gestured in the direction where the stables now resided, as a reminder of his struggle to become the most powerful youkai in Japan. There was funny story about how the great lady had the embarrassing hovel razed to the ground and built… " Jaken trailed off when he realized how quiet Izayoi was. She would have normally interrupted several times by now. He glanced up and saw that her lips were set in a thin line and her nostrils were flaring. Jaken was sure she was about to hit him.

"What did I do!" he squawked, covering his head.

"You mean he's married?" Her voice was surprisingly soft. Jaken let his arms fall to his side once again.

"Why yes, he is, or was. She left this place many years ago but I'm fairly certain that she is dead now."

Izayoi paused, "Fairly certain? You mean you don't know?"

"Well…no one actually said so, but Sesshoumaru-sama would…"

Izayoi rushed out of the room before he could finish.

oOo

"Take me to the nearest village," Izayoi commanded, "Jaken, I tire of seeing only your ugly, green face every day."

Jaken hopped up and down and gibbered angrily. Izayoi smiled affectionately down at the imp and attempted to pat his bobbing head

"I've changed my mind. No villages. Never could abide the stench of commoners. Just take me for a walk in the forest, since I do need a change of scenery."

Izayoi changed into the lighter traveling clothes she'd worn when Jaken had first seen her. When she was ready, the two started towards the tree line. Jaken took the lead, but Izayoi skipped forward quickly until she was in front of him.

Jaken muttered something about pushy females under his breath.

"What was that, imp?"

"Nothing," Jaken squeaked.

A thick cover of clouds hung low in the sky and the wind whipped at their clothing. Jaken had to hold his hat in place. Even though the clouds were dark and the wind was high, there was no rain. Izayoi remarked that it felt as if the world were holding its breath waiting for rain.

Several long strands had come undone from Izayoi's thick braid. The liberated strands whipped about as if they had a life of their own. She brushed at a strand and Jaken thought idly that it must have been tickling her ear.

He liked Izayoi's ears in particular. Her ears were delicate little rounded folds which sat very close against her head. To him, they seemed exotic, an outward sign of her fragile humanity. He tried to make it a point not to stare at them, however, since Izayoi had chastised him on several occasions for ogling. As if, he would deign to ogle to likes of her.

Jaken grumbled to himself again.

Izayoi stopped suddenly and Jaken barely missed stumbling against her foot.

"Did you just call me a 'fat cow'?"

Jaken backed away a few steps, before he took a fighting stance and placed is staff in front of him like an anchor. "I will neither confirm nor deny such a ridiculous accusation."

"You did," she narrowed her eyes.

Jaken backed up one more step.

"I'm pregnant."

"Beg your pardon."

"Pregnant," she repeated as if it were nothing unusual.

Jaken's yellow eyes bulged and his staff slipped from is fingers and fell clattering to the ground below.

"Pregnant. Not fat." Izayoi repeated a third time and turned and started back down the trail.

The two walked in uncharacteristic silence until the cool sting of the rain sent them hurrying back towards the castle grounds.

"He truly is uncouth, isn't he?" Izayoi asked as they were warming themselves by the fire which Jaken had stoked in the kitchen.

"I don't know who you could possibly mean." Jaken stated loudly. He snuck a glance over his shoulder at the empty doorway and then peered under the low table.

"Why yes, it's true that the Inutaisho is a bit. His power is vast and he is very old, but he is reported to have been low-born," Jaken told her in a whisper and a wink. His stomach turned a flip as he reveled in the elicit thrill of gossiping about the most powerful youkai in Japan.

"I don't like him very much, you know." Her eyes dropped to her hands, which lay folded in her lap. She balled her fists, "but I cannot go back."

Jaken watched her with eager eyes, willing her to continue. The mystery would finally be solved. "Why is that," he prodded when she did not speak further.

Izayoi ignored his question. "I'm getting hungry." She folded her hands demurely in her lap again.

"You are eating for two," Jaken told her.

Izayoi wrinkled her nose and leaned conspiratorially towards the imp. "If I have a son, do you think he will turn out as horrid as that Sesshoumaru?"

Jaken's jaw dropped in horror. "Sesshoumaru-sama is not horrid. How can you speak that way about the beautiful Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Izayoi continued as if she hadn't heard him. "I'll not have any son of mine running about like some sort of wild…"

Jaken covered his ears.

"Ill-mannered…"

"Eeee," Jaken let out strangled cry. He began trembling.

"Vile and dreadful ruffian…."

"Aiyeee," Jaken shrieked and feel to the floor.

"Did I say something?" Izayoi said innocently. She nudged the prone imp with her toe.

"I hope your child is born with a set of cat ears," he cursed her weakly, "and is known throughout the land as an ill-mannered brute with no fashion sense_mmmphhmm."_ The tail end of Jaken's retort was muffled by the Izayoi's foot, which was now grinding his face into the floor.

oOo

The Inutaisho and Sesshoumaru returned a few days after that. Jaken announced their impending arrival to Izayoi as soon as he felt the swelling of their combined youki. Izayoi's eyes turned cold and distant again. She retreated to her room. It was some time before the father and son would arrive and Jaken grew restless in the unaccustomed solitude. But that was merely because he had grown used to her presence, he told himself, not because he harbored any sentimental feelings for her.

He went to her room and tapped at the screen. Izayoi did not answer any his repeated requests for entry.

Jaken soon gave up and returned to his own modest quarters. He wondered how it was that he had been reduced to tapping at a human woman's door for company.

oOo

Things soon became busy again and Jaken fell into the familiar routine of rushing to and fro to assist in the needs of the two inuyoukai. There were letters to transcribe and weapons to sharpen. He routinely followed Sesshoumaru-sama about the castle when the young lord was afoot, just in case he might be needed. As usual, he was very nearly mesmerized by the way Sesshoumaru-sama's long, silvery hair swayed back and forth when he walked. It was good to have him home.

He saw to the needs of Izayoi-hime as well, but she was not in her room often in those days following the great lord's arrival and thus he saw her less often. When he did see her, it was usually only briefly as he took food to her in the Inutaisho's quarters. They no longer had conversations and rarely spoke.

It came as quite a shock when he found her sobbing quietly in the Inutaisho's bed with her hands covering her face.

Jaken watched her for a moment and made to slip quietly out of the room, when her weak voice stopped him, "Hold, Jaken."

"Yes, Izayoi-hime?"

"How is it that I can hate him, despise him, and yet I am terrified when he goes away?"

"Uh…" was the only response Jaken could think of. Human emotions weren't really his specialty.

"Why do I shed tears for him? Why him?"

"You cry because you are a woman," Jaken stated confidently. He knew how that worked at least.

"What have I become?" she wailed, her sobs audible now. "And why must he care so little for me? I am but a whim, a toy to play with while he is forced to reside here, a thing of little consequence…"

"Why, I don't really know what you…"

"Jaken."

"Yes, Izayoi-hime."

"Tell me why he is leaving."

"The borders are threatened, Izayoi-hime. Another lord," Jaken shivered at the thought, "the great dragon lord of the east has been seen moving about in the western lands. The Inutaisho seeks to protect his hands."

Izayoi had stopped crying now. "Is it dangerous?" Her tone was fearful.

"Why I'm sure it is. But it is quite unusual that anyone would seek to threaten the Inutaisho, as powerful as he is. I'm not clear on all the details."

"Will you find out more for me, Jaken-sama?"

Jaken thought privately that it was none of her concern, but nodded in assent.

oOo

Jaken was new to the castle and lacked access to the information which, for example, someone such as Myouga would certainly be privy to. He was well-versed on the goings on in youkai society, being an avid gossip and having been well-bred by imp standards. But, as aforementioned, he was still new here. He must approach Myouga to obtain the necessary information and the flea was a wily one.

"What would you give in exchange for such sensitive information?" the flea whispered in his ear.

"I wouldn't protest," Jaken felt as if he were prostituting himself, "if you needed a drink."

Myouga made a gagging sound. "How revolting and no."

Fortunately, Jaken had a back up plan. "Izayoi-hime, then." Myouga's eyes brightened at the suggestion. Why not offer her up. She was the one wanting the information after all.

An agreement was reached and the flea began, "The dragon has encroached on the western lands. This is mainly due to the rumors flying around of the master's great weakness. Those rumors are fueled by the master's passion and love for a certain human lady," the flea winked suggestively at this point, but of course Jaken missed this as Myouga was standing beside his ear, "as well as rumors of a hanyou child growing in her belly."

"Hmm," Jaken wondered how he could have missed the connection. "He loves her, you say?"

"Of course."

"How do you know this?"

"After you have served young Sesshoumaru-sama for as many centuries as I have served the Master, you'll know what to look for as well."

oOo

When Jaken relayed the requested information to Izayoi, tears welled in her eyes.

"Yes," Izayoi wiped the corner of her eye with a handkerchief she produced from her bodice. "And no. I just never realized I my presence here was anything of note to anyone." She smiled. Jaken had a difficult time understanding how she could smile and cry simultaneously.

"It's hard to believe, really," she sniffed. Her tears had stopped but her lips still held a small smile.

"Well, some powerful youkai are vicious and power-hungry. I've heard terrible things about Ryuukotsusei. I'm told he's a brutal tyrant."

"Is he?" Izayoi's smile was replaced by a worried frown. "Is he so very dangerous?"

"Ryuukotsusei is known for his might and has been as of yet undefeated in battle. Only a few youkai would dare to stand up to him. Yes, he is quite dangerous." Jaken explained in a matter of fact tone. Izayoi's face fell even further. She began crying again. "Tell me no more of this," she wailed.

"But…but you asked me to tell you about Ryuukotsusei. I don't understand." He sputtered in confusion.

Izayoi bowed her head and sobbed. She dismissed Jaken with a cursory wave of her hand.  
oOo

The next time he met Izayoi-hime, Jaken was certain be especially polite and helpful. He did not wish to see her cry again. It disturbed him greatly. Plus, it inspired in him strangest urges to go over to her…and do what, he was not certain.

"Here is your tea, Izayoi-hime, extra-strong as requested."

She was standing by the window in the kitchen. She flashed him a smile when he arrived, which served to assuage Jaken's worry that he would find her crying again.

"Perfect," she said, taking the cup from the tray. "You realize, Jaken, that I wouldn't normally praise or thank a servant, but I'll make an exception in your case."

Jaken's eyes bulged. "A servant you say! I serve only Sesshoumaru-sama. It would be a sad day when a youkai would stoop to serve a despicable human."

"That may be so," Izayoi appeared unruffled by his insult, "but how do you explain the meal preparation, the tea, the baths?"

Jaken thought about this for a minute. "Perhaps the threat of physical violence?" he offered.

"I see. You do realize I am quite small in stature and most gentle."

"Hm, yes, but you also have a rarely exposed cruel and sadistic side. You're the sort that likely drowned kittens in secret when you were a young."

"No," she explained in mock-seriousness, "kittens were quite safe, but I did squish a frog with my bare hands once. I found the horrid little thing swimming in the courtyard fountains."

Jaken shuddered. "I can tell by your sadistic smirk that you must have enjoyed that. Your family and the other villagers drove you out with sticks and stones when your penchant for wickedness was discovered, did they not?" Jaken cackled at his own joke. The sound was cut short by a sharp thump on head.

"You don't scare me." Izayoi thumped much harder this time.

"Fat cow," he screeched and bolted for the door.

Jaken impacted with something solid and fell backwards with a squeal. Swirling lights invaded his vision, but when he looked up he immediately recognized the vision in white towering over him. "Sesshoumaru-sama," Jaken said weakly while he held his own head in attempt to stop the world from spinning.

Sesshoumaru swept past him and directly toward the spot where Izayoi stood.

"What is this?" Sesshoumaru hissed as he held a white and plum colored Kimono towards Izayoi. It resembled the kimono he was wearing, however the Sakura blossoms embroidered on the fine white silk were larger and more well-defined. Jaken thought it would look quite stunning on Sesshoumaru.

She stepped back a few steps, but her expression did not change. "It's a gift," she answered calmly.

Sesshoumaru tried to shove the kimono into her arms, but she backed away again and the bundle fell to the floor. "Oh!" Jaken gasped in horror and hopped up to retrieve the clothing.

"It's a gift," she repeated. "It belongs to you and you may do with it as you like."

He advanced on her and she backed away until her retreat was halted by the short, wooden table. This set her off balance and she stumbled forward. Instinctively, she grasped the front of Sesshoumaru's kimono to keep herself from falling and he jerked backwards.

"My tea," Izayoi cried.

Jaken rushed over, "Sesshoumaru-sama, oh dear, Sesshoumaru-sama," Jaken repeated as he ineffectually swiped at a large wet spot on Sesshoumaru's white kimono.

Jaken looked back at Izayoi and snapped, "you spilt your tea all over Sesshoumaru-sama's clothing, you awful woman."

Izayoi simply stared at the two youkai with a shocked expression.

With a great whirl of silver hair, Sesshoumaru turned quickly on his heel to leave. Jaken's fingers were dislodged from his sleeve in the process and the imp fell backwards again with a thump.

_Oh my poor head, _was all Jaken could think as he watched his master disappear in a huff through the doorway. Jaken began gathering up the discarded bundle.

"You had better take that directly to Sesshoumaru's room if you know what's good for you" Izayoi hissed. Jaken nearly made an insulting retort, but he glanced up and saw that there were tears shining in her eyes.

"Of course, Izayoi-hime," he told her respectfully. Her lower lip trembled. She pressed her fingertips against her forehead and squeezed her eyes shut. Jaken forgot his headache, since there was now a new kind of ache in his chest.

"It's a lovely design," he tried to reassure her before he hurried down the hall with the bundle.

oOo

The day came again when the Inutaisho and Sesshoumaru readied themselves to leave once again to secure the borders. This time Izayoi appeared in the doorway to see them off. She watched the two of them shyly as they stood in full battle gear facing towards the South. They appeared to be waiting for something.

They didn't have to wait long. There was a strange lowing sound and a flash of light as a monstrous cow appeared before them. Izayoi stifled a scream.

An ancient-looking youkai dismounted and offered a sword to Jaken, who backed away from it as if it were a snake.

"Old man, that is mine and you know it," the Inutaisho bellowed. He took the sword and gave the old youkai a slap on the back with a bellowing laugh. "Hehehehe," the old man laughed weakly and looked around with a dazed expression, "oh yes, you're right, my young master

After the old youkai had taken to the sky astride the bull, the Inutaisho made a flying leap over to the spot where Izayoi stood and swept her into his arms. She let out a girlish laugh as he spun her around while he held her tightly against him. Out of the corner of his eye, Jake saw Sesshoumaru turn away from the scene with a snarl on his lips.

The Inutaisho set her down gently and pointed to the sword. "Do you know what this is?" Izayoi shook her head. He patted the sword at his hip. "Assurance," he told her simply.

Izayoi watched them go with a half-smile. Her cheeks were flushed. Jaken found himself watching her instead of watching the two males disappear over the rise.

"Well," Jaken's voice squeaked with irritation, "you don't have to make such a show of staring after him all starry-eyed."

Izayoi blinked at him and sighed. "He is dreamy, isn't he? So tall, handsome, and charming."

It was Jaken's turn to sigh. "Yes, it's true. Sesshoumaru-sama is all of those things."

"I wasn't talking about HIM you fool."

"I am a fool? You're the fool!" Jaken called after her, unable to come up with better parting words.

oOo

The late spring weather was unseasonably warm and Izayoi was scratching. "Is this some sort of pregnancy ailment? If I didn't know better, I'd think it were fleas. I have red, itchy marks here…and here." She reached around and attempted to scratch low on her shoulder.

Jaken watched her in silence. He'd not told her of the price Myouga required in exchange for his supply of information. Seeing the annoyed look on her face as she attempted to scratch her hip through the thick silk of her robes, he decided it would be best not to mention such a piece of _unnecessary_ information. She appeared to be unaware of the flea-retainer's existence entirely, which was not surprising. Myouga was quick and small. Probably this trait had proved helpful in the past for moving unnoticed among youkai and humans alike. Myouga was a perfect spy.

He could make his presence know when needed, nevertheless. The flea's youki packed quite a punch for one so small. His latest information had been unsettling. Apparently, the Inutaisho had come to blows with the dragon and had come out of the fray with a few serious injuries. He would return to the castle soon to recover.

When Jaken told Izayoi of this, she stopped scratching and gave him a worried look.

"To think, he is willing to do all of this for me."

"Yes, you are quite troublesome."

"It makes me unhappy to hear this news."

"Why should you care? Weren't you telling me that you disliked him?"

Izayoi gave him a haughty look, "I never said any such thing."

"But you did, you were crying when I walked in and you told me…"

Izayoi cut him short. "He is the father of my child," she informed him as she hugged her swollen belly protectively, "how could I think ill of him."

In the face of such logic, Jaken gave in. "True," he assented unenthusiastically, "and he is risking life and limb for you." Somehow, he had enjoyed the thought that she did not care for her powerful lover.

Izayoi's expression darkened, "You mean protecting his lands."

"Have you heard nothing that I've told you over the past weeks? The only reason for the confrontation is your presence."

"But I don't understand…how would I be the cause? I do not even know this dragon."

"But he knows who you are, at least he knows that you are human and that his quite enough."

"But why would that…"

"Izayoi-hime," Jaken rolled his eyes, "it is not my place to tell you this, but taking a human lover is frowned upon in youkai society."

Izayoi gave him a hard look. Jaken glared back. "Youkai blood must not be mixed with that of lowly humans," he lectured, "Surely even a dumb human like you would know of this. I'm surprised that there has not been some sort of insurgence within the western lands themselves because of you. I must say I also fail to understand what it is that the Inutaisho sees in you." Jaken waved his arms around excitedly, but this time Izayoi didn't smile at his antics.

"Yes it is the same in human society," she said softly. "So I am the cause of all this trouble. I may be the eventual cause of his death." She stared off into the distance for a long while and Jaken had a feeling she'd forgotten he was there.

Jaken cleared his throat and Izayoi startled at the sound. She hugged her belly again and stood up. "I'm going to my room to rest. Do not disturb me until the morning."

Jaken watched her go. Something was troubling him but he couldn't put his finger on it.

oOo

"Izayoi-hime," Jaken said cheerfully, "I just wanted you to know that I really do not think of you as lowly." He waited for her response. She simply stared at him. He'd have thought she would have been pleased by this admission.

"In fact," he continued, "I think as humans go, you are tolerable. Wait, a bit more than tolerable. Stop, Izayoi-hime, where are you going?"

Jaken skittered after her. "I mean, at first I thought you were unappealing and even dimwitted." Izayoi turned and leveled him with a glare. "I mean, I don't think any such thing now." He hurried after her, having to run to keep up with her longer strides, "Izayoi, I'm sorry if I offended you in some way. I only meant to say…" Jaken was at quite a loss. This conversation was not turning out as planned. He searched his mind for a suitable phrase, "I quite like you now. And I can certainly see why the master would find you appealing."

Izayoi whirled around suddenly with a curious look on her face, "You find me appealing?"

She smiled at Jaken's shocked expression, "Well, I didn't mean that I, I.."

"Never mind that. You said that you cared about me."

"Well, I said I liked you, I suppose…"

"Either way," she snapped, "I rather like you as well, Jaken. And I hope that I can count on you to assist me with something…"

Jaken was not listening. He was rolling the phrase 'I rather like you as well Jaken' around in his head.

"And so you're willing to help me," her tone was soft, pleading and it brought him out of his daydreaming.

"Of course, anything Izayoi-hime," Jaken quickly agreed.

"Good, then I will be leaving tonight then."

"Tonight…leaving…what are you talking about."

"I was just telling you that I've given it some thought and I've decided to return home."

"But why?"

"My presence here has caused much too much trouble already. I will return to my family and things will return to normal here. Everyone will be safe."

"But…"

"But nothing. Do you want to be slaughtered by a dragon and your lord's mutinous subjects?"

"Well no."

"Then I leave tonight under the cover of darkness," she said with sparkling eyes, "and you, who have become a good friend, will assist me."

"The Inutaisho would never agree to such a thing."

"He will not know, dear Jaken, until I am safely at home."

"But he will surely kill me for this."

"Then don't tell him," she told him pointedly.

Jaken was defeated as last. He nodded and began to help her to gather her things together. He felt nervous and his hands shook terribly. He'd never had the stomach for dangerous deeds. He could not help but admire her, though. She was willing to return and surely face the scorn of her family carrying a half-breed child, all on the notion that it might protect the child's father.

The two of them would travel by foot to the nearest village where she would procure transport to her father's house. A simple plan. No one would ever know. Izayoi-hime would be safe.

He gulped and wondered why he couldn't bring himself to believe anything of the sort.

oOo

The persistent nighttime breeze tugged Izayoi's hood from her head. Her long hair fell about her pale face, but she shook it back as she tilted her face towards the night sky. "The stars are much too bright tonight. I feel as if they're watching my every move," she said cryptically.

Jaken stared up at her. There was twisting feeling in his gut as he realized this might be the last time he saw her. He was not nearly as eager to be rid of her as he would have once imagined.

"There is the village, down there," she pointed to the pinpoints of light wavering in the distance. "But what I am doing doesn't feel right somehow. I have a peculiar sense of foreboding," she told Jaken.

Izayoi stood there silently for a long time, seeming to be lost in her thoughts.

Jaken grew restless. "I suppose you wouldn't agree to return to the castle with me?" Jaken asked hopefully.

"No," she told him after a long pause, "but you could come with me."

Jaken thought this was a silly thing to say, but her expression was quite serious. "Erm, thank you, Izayoi-hime, but I could never leave Sesshoumaru-sama."

"I guess this is goodbye then." There was a sudden catch in his throat at those words.

She took his hand and squeezed it. He looked up at her, taking in the way the starlight reflected in her dark eyes.

Izayoi slowly bent down to her knees and reached towards Jaken. He hopped quickly out of reach. "What did I do?" he cried.

Izayoi snatched at his sleeve and hauled him backwards. "I'm trying to tell you goodbye," she giggled as she pulled the struggling imp into her arms. It was all rather frightening to Jaken, this was nothing like the temperamental and reserved Izayoi he'd come to know.

"Stand still," she commanded. Jaken ceased his struggling and stood stiffly within her embrace. This was much more like it.

"I'll miss you, imp." she told him and hugged him as close as her growing belly would allow. Jaken's face was buried in her thick hair. "Can I touch your ears?" came his muffled request. His fingers twitched eagerly. They were so close, so inviting.

"What!" Izayoi leaned back and regarded him suspiciously.

"I said nothing," Jaken squawked.

Izayoi carefully righted herself and waved goodbye. He could have sworn he saw tears sparkling in her eyes.

"Humans," Jaken sniffed, "is crying all that they ever do?" He was certainly lucky not to be hampered by such foolish sentimentality. _I'll likely forget her within a few months, _he assured himself.

He left Izayoi on the outskirts of the human village before he scuttled back to hide behind the nearest tree. From the darkness, he watched her. Izayoi appeared as merely a shadow amidst the long, low buildings, small and insignificant. Jaken sniffed. There was the strangest burning sensation in the area of his sinuses.

Even after the shadowy figure of Izayoi had disappeared into the village, Jaken waited. After some time, he saw a robust village boy appear and retrieve her belongings which Jaken had stacked neatly before he left. Still, he waited. The breeze was stirring the low branches of the tree, causing the leaves to prickle the back of his neck like thin, little fingers. It unnerved him to be so close to a human village. One by one, the lights of the village were extinguished until only a single lantern remained illuminated. It cast a warm, yellow glow across a small building located in the direction he'd seen Izayoi walk. Jaken knew that there was no sense in waiting, but he sat there until at last even this single light faded and the entire village was enshrouded by inky darkness.


End file.
